Klein as an investment?

[KDM]

Not a full bike but frame & forks. Savings rates are pants and very little seems to be safe electronically so I was thinking about buying a F&F and then sticking it in the loft for a few years.

The Kleins went silly a few years ago but seem to be leveling out a bit now apart from the usual shop selling suspects. What do you think?

 

[PACE 200]

Re: Klein

Hi I've got a nightstorm I don't use so going to strip it down and sell the bits and put the frame and forks in the loft for a few years thanks neil

 

[ishaw]

I bought a gator fade rascal. OK so not an attitude but it was mint and dripping with m900, ringle, cooks etc. I didn't ride it at all as I didn't get on with the bone shaking ride but when it came to selling, I lost out despite its condition and lovely parts. Not an investment opportunity in my experience.

 

[jimi911]

Re:

Its a gamble. We must admit that we are a fringe hobby and as such, we aren't going to get many of the tertiary demand pushes say a classic car or even vintage guitar would get.

So much depends on what you paid to begin with. Is a mint $3000 Klein going to get you $6000 in a decade? Could ... could also get you $2500. :?

Best not dwell - Buy'em, build'em, ride'm/look-at'em, and have a bit of fun. All good things.

 

[jimo746]

Re:

Maybe, if you don't ride it. Nothings guaranteed though. I'm sure there are better ways of investing money out there.

I echo the above... but 'em, build em' ride 'em.

You can't take a Klein with you when you pass away, so you might as well ride one and enjoy it whilst you can.

 

[thesneaker]

Buy for love, not for money.....

 

[xxnick1975]

I reckon it's not a bad bet, not mega bucks but a nice part of anyone's portfolio

 

[CTK]

Re:

Better investments out there.

 

[singletrackmac]

Re: Re:

Maybe, if you don't ride it...

And its NOS. I think if you were going to you should go with a manufacture that built frames out of the more durable materials, steel or Ti. It's recommend not to buy used aluminum frames since the fatigue life for an alum frame is from 5 to 10 years on a bike used as intended. That's quite a risk for someone to shell out a lot of money for an old alum mtb frame especially a rigid or HT that has possibly been ridden off road. Steel lasts a life time and if it does break, it is much easier to repair especially if it is a lugged frame, while alum is difficult to repair. Unless you can prove the bike has not been ridden, the longer you hold onto an old alum frame the bigger the concern it will fail.

 

[scant]

Not a full bike but frame & forks. Savings rates are pants and very little seems to be safe electronically so I was thinking about buying a F&F and then sticking it in the loft for a few years.

The Kleins went silly a few years ago but seem to be leveling out a bit now apart from the usual shop selling suspects. What do you think?

I think it depends on how long you're prepared to wait for a decent return. in hindsight pre trek kleins sold fairly cheap at the end of the 90s when the demand for them was pretty low & there was very little interest in vintage bikes. that would have been the time to buy if you were thinking longer term investment. who knows how the pricing will fluctuate in 5, 10, 20 or more years. I'd get as pristine as possible, original painted frameset, but hang it on a wall & appreciate it that way; or ride it very gently on tame trails as I do with my vintage bikes. you still get to appreciate them, but you're not risking any potential depreciating damage inflicted by normal riding.

will you make a profit? who knows! as in all aspects of life, the rarer the item was when new, the greater the chance it be worth more later.